Electrical connecter device



l mi 25 927 R. B. BENJAMIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVICE Filed Feb, 1'7, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ocfn 254927. RS BENJAMIN Y 1,646,806

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVIE Filed Feb. 17. 1921- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 25,1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EEUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION F ILLINOIS.

i ELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVICE.

' Application led February 17, 1921. Serial No. 445,587.

My invention relates to electrical connecter devices, and more particularly to electrical connecter devices for use with outlet boxes.

One of the objects ot my invention is to provide improved means whereby the shell Contact of a socket may be securely held. in position with respect to the wiring base without falling out when the securing ring or shade holder is removed, or being loosened up when the lamp is unscrewed.

A further object of my invention is to provide an electrical connecter device which will be simple and compact in construction and durable and eiiicient in use.

Further objects will appear from the detailed description to follow and from the appended claims.

In the drawings in which an embodiment of my invention is shown- Fig. 1 is an exial sectional view through an outlet box and electrical connecter device;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 1 with certain parts removed;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a part of the electrical connecter device;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a receptacle member provided with Hubbell type contacts;

6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view showing an electrical connecter having a screw shell contact;

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view showing another orm of combination wiring base and contact device; and

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, the construction shown therein comprises an outlet box 10, a fixed combination wiring base and connecter member 11, a combination receptacle and contact member 12, a combination plug-in and wiring terminal device 13. and n fixture supporting. member 14. The plugin device 13 and fixture supporting device 14 *are detachably secured in position with respect to the receptacle member 13, by means of a swivel ring which is screwed into a fixed ring portion 16 formed on the lower skirt portion ot' a cup'shaped sheet metal member 17, which serves as a housing tor the member 11. The member 17 also serves as a support for the receptacle 12 which as shown in Fig. 6 is provided ywith a helicalthread portion 18, whereby this receptacle portion can be screwed intofthe screw-threaded skirt portion 16. This screw-threaded connectionV holds the receptacle portion in place even when the ring 15 is screwed out and the plugin portion 13 and fixture supporting `portion 14 are detached.

The detachable screw-threaded connection between the receptacle portion 12 and the threaded skirt portion 16 enables this 'rece tacle portion to be removed and a receptac e portion 19 (Fig. 7 of a different typeto be substituted therefor.

The assembly including the wiring base 11, the receptacle member 12, the plugnn device 13, and the fixture supporting device 14 is supported in position with respect to the outlet box10, by means of a transversely extending stamping 20 having foot portions 21 secured to ears 22 of the outlet box by means of screws 23. A face-plate 24 is provided for the outlet box. This may be secured in position by threading it on to the threaded skirt portion 16. For this purpose the tacc-v plate 24 is provided with an integral inwardly extending threaded portion 25, which can he threaded on the outside of the threaded skirt portion 16. y

For holding the wiring base 11 in position in the cup-shaped member 17, a pair of spring fingers 26 are provided having inwardly bent tips 27, which extend into recesses in the insulating base 28. The spring fingers 26 may be formed as parts of an integral sheet metal strap secured to the transversely-extending straps 20 by means of rivets 29. These rivets 29 also serve to hold the cup-shaped member 17 in place on the strap 20. The central portion of the strap 20 is offset with respect to the foot portions 21,

to bring the wiring base 11 in the proper position.

The wiring base 11 is provided with wiring terminals 30 for the conductors 31 and with center and side contacts 32 and 33 electrically connected with` the wiring terminals 30 respectively. The binding plates of the wiringr terminals 30 are held in place on the insulatingT base 28 by means of screws 34.

The center and side contacts 32 and 33 are provided with base portions which are held underneath fthe binding plates of the wirin terminals 30, whereby the contacts are hel :in vposition Von the insulating-base `28. ,The side contact members 33 `have two laterally extending wing :Contact portions 35. The feu -shaped Asheet metal v:member 17 Lis aprovi ed 'with lopenings `35l for 'the conductors 31 which :lead Ito 'the wiring 1terminalsr30.

The insulating ybase 36 of fthe :receptacle member 12 is provided with recesses.37, fin

which are located spring contact itingers 38 "and 39. The spring contact Vfinger 38 vis, -secured Ato a ring contact member 40 (Fig. 5).

'This ring contact member 40 is'so l.positioned that itfwill make contact with fthe side contact lmembers 35^-of the wiringbase 11,'-when the receptacle member .12 is screwed `into 5the threaded ring'16. The ringcontact-40'-may be secured in position fon the kinsulating `base 36 by means ot eyelets 41. The spring contfact finger 38 vmaybe secured tothe ringcontactby means of inwardlyextending eyelet portion 42 formed integral with the ring Contact 40. rThe spring contact finger l39 is secured in Vplace on the `insulating base 36 by means of al centrally locatedeyelet 43, which lalso serves as a center contact for engagement with the center contact 32of-the wiring base 11. It will be `noted that 'fthe contacts 32, 33, 40 and-43 all lie substantially in 'the "plane `of the meeting faces of the members -11 and 12 whereb compact construction is lsecured which ena les the `device to be used "in `a shallow outletbox.

The insulating -base 44 of the plug-in delvice 13 has ymounted lthereon a pair of con- -tactblades 45 for engagement with the co'ntact lfingers 38 and 39=respectively, of the receptacle portion 12. lThese contact blades 44 and 45 are rovided with suitable wiring terminals 45 or'the vfeed wires for the `supporting V.fixture f The-hook 46 of the fixture supporting de- -v'ice 14'is secured :to :a supporting plate 47 ing flange yof lthe screw-threaded ring 15. The supporting plate47 has a central opening for the feed Y`.wires for the fixture. A

cushioning washer 48,02 libre .or-'other suitable material is :provided between the 'suporting plate 47 `and the inwardlyextending ange :of Ithe threaded ring '.15.

It `will be noted when the .ring yis unscrewed, and the `plug-in device 13fand tixture supporting device 14 removed, :that Athe receptacle member 13 will lstill be `held in place Abecause of its threaded vengagement with ythe fixed -screwfring '16.

,As :previously stated, the :receptacle ,12 can `be unscrewed k'from the fixed screw- 'threaded ring l1'6'and a receptacle `member 19 (Fig. 7) of Ha y different Atype may be :sub-

:stituted therefor. `lThe linsulating vbase 49 ofthis typefreceptacle may be provided "with a helical thread portion 50, similar to the of this threade member havin helical `thread `portion 18 of ,the receptacle screw shell contact 51. 'The :insulating base .49 Vhas 1an opening :through iit, so that the 'center :contact otalamp which is screwed .into 'the screw shell contact T51 can engage directly the center contact 32 `ot Ithe wiring .base and .contact 'member' 11. This avoids thenecessity of providing an additional center contact for the `receptacle member 19. As `shown in'Fi s. 7 and 9, the inner portion dg shell contact lfengages the contact portions 35 ofthe side contact imember 33 lwhen Vthe receptacle rportion 19 Vis screwed Yinto the cup 17.

A shade `holder '52 maybe screwed 4inside the threaded ring 16. This shade holder 52 may be used to prevent the receptacle 19 `from becoming unscrewed when the `lam is beingscrewed out of the socket. For this purpose lthe upper edge 53 of the shade holder 52 is made to extend `upwardly far enough to engage underneath a shoulder 54. Any unscrewing tendency of the rece tacle 19 causedby the unscrewing of t e lamp would be resisted bythe engagement lof .the shoulder 54 with the upper edge of the shade holder 52.

The combination wirin base and contact member shown in Fig. 8 1s substantially the same as the corresponding member 11 shown `in Fig. 1, except in Fig. 8 additional binding screws are provided whereby a branch connection may be led off from this wiring base. The insulating base 28, the contacts vv32 and 33, and thefsecuring screw 34 may be the same` as in the construction shown in Fig. l. The bindin plates, 55, however, are made wider so that a pair of binding screws 56 may be screwed into each one of these binding plates whereby provision is made for a lbranch connection.

Having'thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A ceiling unit comprising an inverted sheet met-al cup, a metal strap having means whereby it may be secured to extend across an outlet box, said strap having its central portion extending across and secured to the ottom of said sheet metal cup, a combination wiringibase and Contact member seated inthe inner end of said cup, and a contact v contacts for enga-ging the contacts of said combination member and ali'ording'circuit connections to a translating device, said contact member being detachably `mounted inthe outer part of `said metal cup. Y

:2. A ceiling outlet unit comprising an iniverted sheet metal cup having cylindrical4 screw threaded sides, a combination wiring Vbase and contact member seated'in the inner los j;

end of said cup, a contact member comprising an insulating base and contacts mounted .thereon for detachably engaging the contacts of said combination member and affording circuit connections for a translating device, said insulating base having a threaded engagement with the threads on the cup, whereby it may be screwed into said cup and held by said threads, and additional retainmg means for said insulating base, comprising a. screw threaded metal ring also having threaded engagement with the threads of l the cup and engagingl said insulating base.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

REUBEN B. BEN'` 

